


princesses aren't meant to fall in love; they're made to wield swords and fight for their fragile empire

by magma_maiden



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Gen, Sibling Relationship, i can't believe kourin never shows up in any fics before, teaser
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-30
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-08-18 17:36:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8170177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magma_maiden/pseuds/magma_maiden
Summary: "Love is temporary, but power lasts forever"--Wu Zetian, Empress of China





	

**Author's Note:**

> There might be grammatical errors ahead as I wrote it on a whim. This is a teaser of my upcoming Kougyoku-centric project, which might be written in Indonesian.
> 
> Magi (c) Shinobu Ohtaka; no profit gained from this fic

It’s weird that all of a sudden a sister of hers sought her out personally. They never spoke except for basic courtesy, if they happened to dine together alongside their other siblings—which is a rare occasion, she noted.

So she bowed, just like her attendant taught her, but the sister's response stopped her.

"There’s no need to bow, Kougyoku."

"...Sister?"

A wave of her perfumed hand, and Kougyoku's attendants disappeared into the shadows. "Let’s drop the formalities today."

With half of her face hidden behind her sleeves, Kougyoku glanced up. This is unusual, and she was unsure what to do.

"I hope I don't interrupt your study."

"...No, sister, we're finished." She hesitated. "What brings you to my quarter today?"

"Because we didn't talk much," Kougyoku's sister let out a brief chuckle, and it seemed that the air trembled with her melodious laughter. "And I'm about to leave the palace soon, probably forever. Shame if i never talked to my sisters."

"Ah." Kougyoku understood.

"We’re disappearing one by one, the princesses." She leaned at the railing, gazing at the field below Kougyoku's quarters where several soldiers were doing their combat routine. "In three days it'll be just you in the palace—and Hakuei, if you count her."

Kougyoku joined her, observing two soldiers engaging in a sword fight. "I don't understand why Lady Hakuei isn't sent to marry instead."

"It's obvious, isn’t it?"

"Why?" Kougyoku turned to look at her, who was smiling mysteriously. "Is it because she conquered a dungeon?"

"Exactly. She’s more useful for the empire as a general than a princess. It’s unwise to let a vassal of Kou get ahold of a metal vessel, right?"

Kougyoku nodded although her words were too difficult for the younger princess. She’s just turned fifteen, and politics are the least in her interests. Her sister's gaze was still fixed on the soldiers, yet Kougyoku wondered why she had a strange look on her eyes. Like loneliness or longing.

"If only I had a metal vessel," she sighed wearily. "If only I could kill with my singing."

"What if you had a metal vessel...?"

"Then I wouldn't have to leave the palace." She patted Kougyoku's cheek. "I wouldn't have to marry a stranger whom I might never love for the rest of my life. Maybe finding true love, if it truly exists. Alas..."

"...What do you mean?"

"Love is only temporary," she turned, beaming while her eyes were brimming with tears, "but power lasts forever." With that, she walked away, leaving a confused Kougyoku behind.

"Sister Rin?"


End file.
